Agricultural consultants, sometimes known as agricultural extension service workers, live in rural communities and act as resources for farmers on a range of topics from agricultural technology to the issues facing the modern rural family. They are employed by either the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or by the department of agriculture and the agricultural colleges in that state. Agricultural consultants advise farmers on improved methods of agriculture and agricultural work such as farm management, crop rotation, soil conservation, livestock breeding and feeding, use of new machinery, and marketing. They assist individuals wishing to start their own farms, provide the most current agricultural advancements to the community, and speak to the community or local government groups on agricultural issues. They also supervise the work of family and community educators and young people's clubs such as 4-H, which is sponsored by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA, formerly the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, or CSREES).